Go Back  Fodor's Travel Talk Forums > Destinations > Europe
Reload this Page >

exchange rate for spring (dollar destined to drop)

Search

exchange rate for spring (dollar destined to drop)

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Nov 11th, 2004, 08:45 AM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 115
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
exchange rate for spring (dollar destined to drop)

Any ideas about buying euro ahead stateside even with the bad exchange rate. Or still take a minimum and take a chance with rates over there come march.
jlsayre is offline  
Old Nov 11th, 2004, 09:06 AM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,244
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Without question, you will always get "the best" exchange rate if you use your ATM card "over there."
Budman is offline  
Old Nov 11th, 2004, 10:38 AM
  #3  
ira
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 74,699
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Hi jl,

You are engaging in what is known as "arbitrage". It is best left up to the arbitragers (arbitragists?).

If you want to hedge, take half the dollars you would spend for your trip in Europe and buy euro today.
ira is offline  
Old Nov 11th, 2004, 10:49 AM
  #4  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 115
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I don't think any of us who travels and know how much the world dislikes Bush would be surprised if this doesn't happened.
jlsayre is offline  
Old Nov 11th, 2004, 11:00 AM
  #5  
ira
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 74,699
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Dear TW,

To put this as kindly and tactfully as I can, If you don't know what you are talking about, it is best to not say anything.

From 1992 to 2000, while the dollar was rising against the synthetic euro, it was sfallin against the Yen and Sterling.

The euro is still below what it was in 1993.

The valuations of currency are based on a lot more than who is President of the US.

ira is offline  
Old Nov 11th, 2004, 11:00 AM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 364
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts


It is really sad that a legitimate question on this board degenerates into political hostility. LET IT GO!! THE ELECTION IS OVER!!

To the question: nobody knows now what the exchange rate will be when you travel. Having a low dollar helps our economy by making US good less costly to purchase overseas. As our economy improves, my GUESS is that the value of the dollar will also go up.

--Marv
Infotrack is offline  
Old Nov 11th, 2004, 11:06 AM
  #7  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,244
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
While a weak $$$ may not be good for your trip to Europe, it is good for the American ecomony. Makes our goods & services more affordable and will boost tourism (which Florida desperately needs from the past 4 hurricanes).

ECON 101.


Budman is offline  
Old Nov 11th, 2004, 11:08 AM
  #8  
travelwoman
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
No Budsman, it doesnt seem to work that way. The deficit is worse! Foreigners dont want to invest here and those countries dont want out products. So you theory is wrong.
 
Old Nov 11th, 2004, 11:21 AM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,500
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Speaking as someone with a recent (2002) graduate degree in Finance and Accounting, ira and Budman are correct.

A weak dollar does indeed make foreign investment in US companies and products much more attractive.
TexasAggie is offline  
Old Nov 11th, 2004, 11:23 AM
  #10  
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 45,322
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
And here pops up travelwoman again. The expert on everything except how to feel "safe" in Paris!
LoveItaly is offline  
Old Nov 11th, 2004, 11:25 AM
  #11  
travelwoman
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
No Aggie, I think you must have been lasso-ing a steer that day and skipped class!
 
Old Nov 11th, 2004, 11:29 AM
  #12  
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,500
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Travelwoman,

Highly unlikely. I graduated magna cum laude and a year early. One doesn't accomplish that by skipping class or misunderstanding major theories in their field of study.

In any case, believe what you will. It's certainly not worth a debate or degenerating into tossing out insults.

I do share your pain over the weak dollar as a fellow traveller So there - we agree on something at least!

TexasAggie is offline  
Old Nov 11th, 2004, 11:35 AM
  #13  
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 4,667
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
aggie,

yes but a falling dollar is symptomatic of the pullout of foreign investment in the US. not a precise analogy but like saying the falling stock market is good because it makes stocks more attractive to investors.

however, obviously it makes US manufactured goods more attractive for foreign importers. but of course the raw materials and parts are often bought overseas with weak dollars...

this is not a political defense but just pointing out that it is not correct that the weak dollar is good for everything except americans travelling abroad...much more complicated than that.
walkinaround is offline  
Old Nov 11th, 2004, 11:35 AM
  #14  
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,476
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Magna cum laude, economics graduates, finance gurus, foreign trade experts, whiners from Florida...all here and absolutely loving each other and STILL can't agree on the "best" hotel in Paris...sigh!
TopMan is offline  
Old Nov 11th, 2004, 11:40 AM
  #15  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,491
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
NB: Econ. and business courses are taught by conservatives; it's a requirement.

The dollar will drop because a. the deficit is just going to keep on billowing; b. it's more important to our financial policymakers to make American goods cheap than to shore up the dollar; c. and therefore foreign investment is going to be withdrawn until it dawns on those same financial policymakers that we're in trouble. The prime rate will, at the same time, be allowed to rise to mitigate some of these processes.

Even so, within any given year there are smaller ups and downs within the larger overall trends such that for a given traveller with $100., the difference between now and March could go either way. Buy gold. ;-)
soccr is offline  
Old Nov 11th, 2004, 11:48 AM
  #16  
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,500
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
walkinaround,

Good point. I certainly did not mean to imply that "a weak dollar is good for Everything except americans travelling abroad". I agree that it is MUCH more complicated than that. I just did not see any point in posting parts of my 100 page thesis on international finance and accounting - it puts even me (the author) to sleep! ;-)
TexasAggie is offline  
Old Nov 11th, 2004, 11:50 AM
  #17  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 115
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Sooooo sooooo sorry to upset everyone and did not have any idea this would spark such a reaction. Happy Holidays to all.
jlsayre is offline  
Old Nov 11th, 2004, 12:15 PM
  #18  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 337
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The last story I read in the Wall Street Journal indicated that $1.30 US per euro is here for a while longer. The experts think 6 to 9 months longer.
DougP is offline  
Old Nov 11th, 2004, 12:17 PM
  #19  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,944
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Texas Aggie, Is it true that our low interest rate is linked to the value of the dollar, and that as interest rates rise, the dollar will grow stronger? (from a former Texas Longhorn)
wren is offline  
Old Nov 11th, 2004, 12:20 PM
  #20  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 337
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
That is generally true. There are other factors but as interest rates rise there should be more demand for US dollars... more demand higher price.
DougP is offline  


Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -